Rubber horse mats.

[whistlepig]

Hope that helped a bit! We move them around all the time, and I fought with them for years before using the carry all. They are not very expensive to buy one, just about $125ish. This is mine with the pallet attached. I just lower it and slide the on. The pallet only sits about 4 in high.



View attachment 327371



View attachment 327372

Mitch,
Thanks. Sounds like you have handled a mat or two yourself. I do like your set up.

 

[Xfaxman]

I use this for the mats in the horse trailer. They are Vice Grip sheet metal pliers.

Pictures from Google Image Search.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Ya.. vice grips seem the way to go

 

[QRTRHRS]

She won't let me cut them or drill a hole in them. These are usually coated with wet horse feces and on top of everything else they are slick as snot. I'm getting older now and the rubber horse mats are faring much better than me these days. When I move these mats she wants them laid like floor tile with no gaps in them. I can, have, and still do lay horse mats like this. It does make a remarkable long lasting floor if done properly. I just am just looking for an easier way.

I too used to lay them tight then a Mennonite barn builder said to lay them with about a 1/4 inch gap to allow for expansion. I followed his advice and overall, they do stay flatter. The occasional "stall walker" will still move them but they are easier to level back out.

 

[Creamer]

I use this View attachment 327467 for the mats in the horse trailer. They are Vice Grip sheet metal pliers.

Pictures from Google Image Search.

I cut small grooves in my sheet metal grips with a cutoff tool to grip wet mats. We used them in the shop and once in a while they would get oil or antifreeze on them and get really slick so some cross grooves provided a little more locking power.

 

[whistlepig]

We have them fitted to a large outdoor three sided run in shed. The floor of the shed was filled with "crush and run" or "chips and dust" gravel. In Kentucky it's called "crush and run" gravel. In Ohio it's called "chips and dust" gravel. Same thing. This gravel was then packed tight with a rented compactor. The mats, as you are suggesting, were laid with a 1/4" gap between. This was done 4 years ago. It does make for a very durable and easy to clean floor. I have had no issues with it since the installation 4 years ago. No walkers.

 

[KYErik]

For moving them over 8 feet, I use extra large regular vice grips and a 10 foot length of light duty chain (like a dog tie out chain or porch swing chain) and drag them one at a time with my atv.

Just pull up one short edge, throw 1 foot of chain under the mat and clamp the vice grips to the chain and the middle of the edge of the mat. You have to move them one at a time this way, but they slide/drag easily across the ground.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Could you use something like an extended hand truck to slide under them an lift up? Maybe extend the bottom out more.

 

[aczlan]

We fold them in half (on the 6' axis) and grab them from the middle. Works fairly well but they are a pain no matter what you do.

Aaron Z

 

[PhysAssist]

Ya.. vice grips seem the way to go

There is a new kind of visegrip for use with nuts and bolts, that may be helpful with the chain on method.

It has a cutout in the lower jaw (to fit around the hexes), that would act as a space for the chain to fit into, making the rest of the jaw more able to clamp onto the mat.

It also works great for odd sizes of nuts and bolts.

I'll see if I can find the link where I bought it on sale, if anyone is interested.

Thomas